Little Mermaid to receive Updates?

[Scuttle]

Oh, I definitely agree - although my biggest objection on Mermaid is the load/unload area. If you look up you can see the theming stop a lot more suddenly then the ceiling on the ride. Having said that, a black tarp would solve the visible steel problems in Everest. They've gotta have a leftover Yeti tarp they can use...

Oh TDO doesn't have a shortage of black tarps by any means. Maybe they can use that tarp that's currently covering up Peter Pan's Flight old fast pass sign.

 

[Scuttle]

I haven't rode it in a few years, but what about Cat in the Hat as well?

I haven't been on Cat in a while lol. But I'm ok with Universal having some of those issues. They don't claim to make rides magical and to have a deep story on every ride with such detailed theming etc.

That's what I like about Universal they just go big.

 

[RSoxNo1]

Oh TDO doesn't have a shortage of black tarps by any means. Maybe they can use that tarp that's currently covering up Peter Pan's Flight old fast pass sign.

Or the Spaceship Earth Descent, or the stationary boulders in our now very much inferior Big Thunder Mountain finale?

 

[RSoxNo1]

I haven't been on Cat in a while lol. But I'm ok with Universal having some of those issues. They don't claim to make rides magical and to have a deep story on every ride with such detailed theming etc.

That's what I like about Universal they just go big.

Sorry, but I think that's a horrid excuse. Cat in the Hat is a well done ride but it's in a giant show building with faux walls to divide the scenes. There were definitely corners cut there as well. As such, I'd say that Mermaid is a better attraction. I also realize that I essentially just created a debate so I could take a pro Mermaid side of it.

 

[Scuttle]

Sorry, but I think that's a horrid excuse. Cat in the Hat is a well done ride but it's in a giant show building with faux walls to divide the scenes. There were definitely corners cut there as well. As such, I'd say that Mermaid is a better attraction. I also realize that I essentially just created a debate so I could take a pro Mermaid side of it.

I was sensing a little hostility there. Lmao. This thread needed a little spark. I'll take the other side. Ha

 

[marni1971]

But I'll also say it's not just Mermaid. Has anyone ever looked at the ceiling during IASW? It's nearly as bad as Mermaid.

With or without worklights during operating hours?

 

[choco choco]

Indeed. Being able to easily and clearly see load and unload from even before the finale is a page one error.

It's not just that you can see load and unload from inside the ride, it's that load and unload can see each other.

One of the veteran imagineers (I forget which) stated that the Omnimover system can feel really assembly line-ish. The omnimover inventors understood this and it's the reason many of those first rides: Adventure through Inner Space/Haunted Mansion/Journey into the Imagination; had load and unload in separate rooms that hid themselves from each other.

Somewhere along the line we lost this piece of wisdom. It's not like it's hard to design for this or anything, but the Buzz Lightyear/Mermaid rides now just have this Chaplin in Modern Times feel of herding people on and off an industrial belt.

There are a lot of design flaws in Mermaid. The last half of the ride has scene transitions that are very obviously walls without any attempt to have them even make any architectural sense. It's like the anti-immersive.

 

[marni1971]

^ very well observed and put.

 

[Scuttle]

It's not just that you can see load and unload from inside the ride, it's that load and unload can see each other.

One of the veteran imagineers (I forget which) stated that the Omnimover system can feel really assembly line-ish. The omnimover inventors understood this and it's the reason many of those first rides: Adventure through Inner Space/Haunted Mansion/Journey into the Imagination; had load and unload in separate rooms that hid themselves from each other.

Somewhere along the line we lost this piece of wisdom. It's not like it's hard to design for this or anything, but the Buzz Lightyear/Mermaid rides now just have this Chaplin in Modern Times feel of herding people on and off an industrial belt.

There are a lot of design flaws in Mermaid. The last half of the ride has scene transitions that are very obviously walls without any attempt to have them even make any architectural sense. It's like the anti-immersive.

Agreed, I even like the feeling of having an empty rocket roll up at Space. It gives more of a personal feeling/experience.

 

[Soarin' Over Pgh]

But I'll also say it's not just Mermaid. Has anyone ever looked at the ceiling during IASW? It's nearly as bad as Mermaid.

So gross. Even without the work lights on you can see the black spunk dotted all over the ceiling. I noticed it instantly. Bad show. If you're gonna have black spunk, either clean it, and since that won't happen, paint the damn ceiling black. Do *something*.

One thing that seems to be lacking at WDW... being proactive about fixing, replacing, and moving.

 

[JenniferS]

I was sensing a little hostility there. Lmao. This thread needed a little spark. I'll take the other side. Ha

I'm going to straddle the fence. I like (not love) both rides.
Carry on.

 

[Mouse_Trap]

I remember some of the people taking flash pictures were taking selfies, and not even pictures of the ride.

In this case though, you can (almost) forgive them, there's not really anything else to do.

It really is such a poor ride if your older than about 5. It could have, and should have been so much more.

 

[the-reason14]

I know this isn't a valid excuse, but granted the ride is in fantasyland where it sits alongside rides like Pan and Pooh and they are of the same caliber if not less. I think the biggest issue is the fact that the line is so well themed and sets you up for something greater. It really isn't until the under the sea scene that you probably begin to think, "Oh this is a fantasyland dark ride."

 

[GoofGoof]

I know this isn't a valid excuse, but granted the ride is in fantasyland where it sits alongside rides like Pan and Pooh and they are of the same caliber if not less. I think the biggest issue is the fact that the line is so well themed and sets you up for something greater. It really isn't until the under the sea scene that you probably begin to think, "Oh this is a fantasyland dark ride."

I've heard this line of thinking from a few people. In your opinion would they have been better off just having poles and chains for the queue like Pan and a similar exterior look to Pan, small world and Philharmagic? I'm personally not a huge fan of the look of the rest of Florida's Fantasyland. IMHO the exterior is a welcome addition.

 

[the-reason14]

I've heard this line of thinking from a few people. In your opinion would they have been better off just having poles and chains for the queue like Pan and a similar exterior look to Pan, small world and Philharmagic? I'm personally not a huge fan of the look of the rest of Florida's Fantasyland. IMHO the exterior is a welcome addition.

I think the problem is that they couldn't make a line for the little mermaid like that. Because it's "old fashion." They don't make lines like that anymore. Granted the ride doesn't do the line justice, but if they did make the line that way then it would have opened the ride up to even more scrutiny.

 

[GoofGoof]

They could have gone with a plain building without the rock work like the DCA version.

I much prefer the WDW version, but there was a poll posted somewhere and a number of people said they preferred the DCA version because the queue was not elaborate.

 

[Californian Elitist]

They could have gone with a plain building without the rock work like the DCA version.

I much prefer the WDW version, but there was a poll posted somewhere and a number of people said they preferred the DCA version because the queue was not elaborate.

The building isn't plain. There's artwork presented on the facade. You can see it at the way top of the building.

The two different themes of the lands make for different appearances. Rock formations would have been out of place for the DCA facade.

 

[GoofGoof]

The building isn't plain. There's artwork presented on the facade. You can see it at the way top of the building.

The two different themes of the lands make for different appearances. Rock formations would have been out of place for the DCA facade.

I agree it fits the theme at DCA. I was calling it plain compared to the outside of the WDW version. If they decided to clone the ride and make it fit with the rest of WDW Fantasyland it would look like this:

It's a Small World by HarshLight, on Flickr

I'll take the rock work.

 

[TP2000]

I much prefer the WDW version, but there was a poll posted somewhere and a number of people said they preferred the DCA version because the queue was not elaborate.

I think what people prefer about the DCA queue is that it does NOT have Fastpass, and a 2,000+ an hour Omnimover gobbles up the line so fast it's rarely more than a 5 minute wait. I know that I certainly prefer that over Fastpass reservations and 60 minute Standby lines.

You wanna go on Mermaid at DCA? Just wander in through those big glass doors and jump in a clamshell, no waiting and no MagicBand required.

 

[GoofGoof]

I think what people prefer about the DCA queue is that it does NOT have Fastpass, and a 2,000+ an hour Omnimover gobbles up the line so fast it's rarely more than a 5 minute wait. I know that I certainly prefer that over Fastpass reservations and 60 minute Standby lines.

You wanna go on Mermaid at DCA? Just wander in through those big glass doors and jump in a clamshell, no waiting and no MagicBand required.

No argument there. The original post I quoted said the biggest issue with LM at WDW is the queue is too well done. My reply that I much prefer the WDW version was about the LM queue, not the park or magic bands.